Our People
Proprietor
Bill Foley
Proprietor Bill Foley acquired the iconic Chalk Hill Estate in 2010. Bill and his wife Carol’s passion and love of Burgundian varietals made Chalk Hill an intriguing venture. In addition to his role as vintner, Bill Foley is the Chairman, CEO and Governor of the National Hockey League’s 31st franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Foley is also the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE: FNF), and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (NYSE: FIS).
Foley devotes time to many educational and community organizations, serving on boards including the University of Washington School of Law the Florida Forum Advisory Board for Wolfson Children’s Hospital Women’s Board, and as a Trustee on the Boards of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. He also serves Chapman University School of Law both as a member of the Dean’s Council and as an Endowed Chair of the William Foley Chair in Corporate Law & Taxation. In 1997, Foley was chosen as Orange County, California’s Business Person of The Year, honored with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation’s Semper Fidelis award and inducted into the Florida Council of Economic Education’s First Coast Business Hall of Fame in 2006.
Foley received his B.S. degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He received an M.B.A. degree from Seattle University and earned his J.D. degree in 1974 from The University of Washington School of Law. He served in the U.S. Air Force, where he attained the rank of Captain.
Today, Bill and Carol live in Northern California part-time and are active philanthropists for many causes, especially those in support of veterans and children’s education.
Proprietor
Carol Johnson Foley
Bill’s wife, Carol Johnson Foley, was born and raised in Washington. While she is actively involved in Foley Johnson she is also deeply passionate about the plight of underprivileged children in America. To this end, Carol and Bill founded the Foley Family Charitable Foundation which focuses on veterans and ensuring that children have access to visual and performing arts, regardless of financial ability. Carol is also an active Board member of the Jacksonville-based Cathedral Arts Project. Also known as capkids.org, this foundation provides access to instruction in the visual and performing arts for young people in Northeast Florida. By unleashing the creative spirit, they hope to empower underserved, school-aged children to succeed in all areas of their lives.
Director of Winemaking
Michael Beaulac
Foley Johnson Director of Winemaking, Michael Beaulac, a Vermont native, joined the Foley Family Wines team in 2021, bringing over 30 years of experience working with premier luxury wineries.
Michael began his winemaking career when a chance opportunity presented itself while he was running a Portland, Maine jazz dinner club. There, Beaulac’s career pivoted when Tim Murphy of Murphy-Goode offered him a job one night, partly in jest. The opportunity was one that Beaulac was looking for, and he accepted his offer and moved to Sonoma County, California to work as a Murphy-Goode Winery harvest intern in 1989.
Beaulac spent an interim period at Laurier Winery in Sonoma’s Carneros region working as a cellar master with Merry Edwards from 1989 through 1991. This opportunity gave way to becoming assistant winemaker back at Murphy-Goode, where he spent four years developing new varietal programs for Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. In 1997, Michael Beaulac spent four years as winemaker for Markham Vineyards in St. Helena. Beaulac took his expertise to the next level, becoming Vice President of St. Supéry Vineyards in Rutherford in 2001, working closely with Michel Roland and Denis Dubourdieu. With years of experience and a deep understanding of the Napa Valley, Beaulac became General Manager and winemaker at Napa’s Pine Ridge Vineyards in 2009 where he oversaw the estate’s 160 acres. Beaulac credits his development as a winemaker to working with Michel Roland and Pine Ridge’s high standard for producing quality wines.
Michael’s winemaking philosophy starts in the vineyard. Truly knowing the land, soil, and climate allows him to showcase the exceptionally pure qualities of the diverse vineyard sites throughout Napa Valley. He says of his philosophy for winemaking, “Be proactive in the vineyards. Let the fruit find its balance. Do not force the wine to be anything it’s not. Let it express its typicity. Once in the winery the wine should be touched as little as possible, in a perfect vintage, we really shouldn’t have to do anything.”
Beaulac currently resides outside of Santa Rosa. When he is not in the vineyards, he enjoys hikes with his wife Cathy and their German Shepherd. He also loves to cook and experiment in the kitchen with different recipes.
Associate Winemaker
Sierra Zeiter
From a young age, Sierra was captivated by the world of wine. She first noticed the way wine brought people together—creating celebrations, smiles, and lasting friendships. At just fifteen years old, she decided she wanted to become a winemaker, and every day since, she has worked tirelessly to achieve that dream.
In 2017, Sierra earned her Enology degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. During her time at Cal Poly, she completed four harvest internships—two in her hometown of Lodi and two in Paso Robles. After graduating, Sierra began her professional career as Assistant Winemaker at Oak Farm Vineyards in Lodi, where she was later promoted to Head Winemaker.
Eager to deepen her knowledge and explore premium winemaking, Sierra transitioned to Napa Valley as an Enologist at Burgess Cellars. Working closely with the Winemaker, she focused on Howell Mountain and Napa Valley Bordeaux varieties, embracing promiscuous and biodynamic farming practices alongside native fermentations.
Currently, Sierra serves as Associate Winemaker for Foley Johnson, Merus, Cosentino, and Swanson under Foley Family Wines. In this role, she collaborates closely with the Director of Winemaking on key decisions, including vineyard selections, blending strategies, budget management, and packaging goals. Her passion for precision and her ability to oversee diverse projects have made her an integral part of the team.
Sierra now calls Napa Valley home, where she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, hiking, and snowboarding in Tahoe. She graduated with her Executive Wine MBA from Sonoma State University in 2025, further solidifying her expertise in both the technical and business sides of the wine industry. Sierra is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of winemakers and is excited to see where her journey will lead.
Winemaker In Memoriam
Patrick Foley
William Patrick Foley III
1986-2018
Patrick was a generous, fun-loving young man with a winning smile and infectious personality. Internally, Patrick was an intense, hard-working and dedicated Winemaker at Foley Johnson Winery in Rutherford, Napa Valley.
In 2003 Patrick moved with his family to Jacksonville, Florida where he went to the Bolles School. He was active in High School playing on a State Championship football team and lacrosse. After graduating in 2006, Patrick attended Chapman University where he again played lacrosse, graduating four years later with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration.
Patrick then worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Investment Banking for the next two years. Patrick, a wine-lover, first worked a harvest at Chalk Hill Winery and decided to advance his knowledge by attending Lincoln University in Canterbury, New Zealand, receiving a Master’s Certificate in Enology and Viticulture. After working a harvest in Argentina, Patrick joined Roth Winery in Healdsburg, California as the Enologist. Patrick was then promoted to Assistant Winemaker.
In the fall of 2016, Patrick accepted a position as Winemaker at Foley Johnson Winery where he enjoyed the process of producing signature Rutherford Cabernets.
Patrick will forever be missed.
William Patrick Foley III passed away Sunday evening, August 12, 2018 from natural causes. Patrick is survived by his sisters Lindsay and Courtney, his brother Robert and his parents, Bill and Carol Foley.
Grip Hands, Be Thou at Peace.